New Transformers video game “Rise of the Dark Spark” announced

by Jeremy Williams

Well here comes one of the first big surprises from New York’s Toy Fair 2014, during Hasbro’s presentation they not only announced the new Transformers video game but also showed off it’s debut trailer. The mentioned trailer begins with the voice of Optimus Prime (played by the one and only Peter Cullen) and as it starts it looks like it will be the official tie-in game for the newest Transformers movie Age of Extinction. But that idea somewhat goes out the window when we are then treated to Soundwave, Laserbeak, and Shockwave to name a few but looking like they did in the War and Fall of Cybertron games. Which according to the trailer posted on YouTube earlier seems the developer of those two awesome Transformer games will for whatever reason not be working on this game which is in my opinion very sad and such a loss, since they were the first in such a long time to finally get a proper Transformers game made. Which I really really hope that even though they are gone that the series they helped make does not get ruined by this game, or even end with this game depending on how the game is received. One of the really good things about the trailer released for the game is that for fans of the new movie coming out this summer, is that you get some nice close ups of the new Optimus Prime design along with Bumblebee and Grimlock in his T-rex form. With all that being said other than some of the Cybertron games versions of some of the Transformers and the new versions from Age of Extinction, not much else was really shown or mentioned in the trailer other than some how these two universes or worlds as they put it will collide.

Now me I really love crossovers in any form of media, but while I am super excited for this game I am really worried since High Moon Studios aren’t the developers anymore. Though for a tie-in game it is really nice to see them try something different for a change instead of what has now become the standard for movie adaptations, in that instead of taking place during the game or even allowing you to play through some of those events but with alot more thrown in. Instead we get games that are side stories, prequel games that for the most part hardly feature events worth putting in a game or ones that are mentioned in the movie, others being sequel games picking up not long after the actual films ending. Which I’ll admit it did start out as a nice way to perhaps make better games since they didn’t have to wait as long to get what information they needed to make the game, but by doing that they really took away the whole reason why we want to buy games based on movies. Which is that we want to be able to see the movie but then go home and be able to actually play around in that universe. Heck some of my favorites were always ones that either started off as a prequel and expanded upon things mentioned in the movie and then the rest take place during the actually story of the film, or do the opposite start where the film begins or a bit before with the ending of the game taking place a bit after the ending of the film.

But enough about my thoughts on movie games and how they’ve actually gotten a bit worse, but here’s some of my thoughts on the actual game. Now I’ve already mentioned that I really already miss High Moon Studios and that I hope this won’t mean the end of the Cybertron games and the universe they built, but I must say I really am curious what made them consider this idea for a game. One reason being these games have gone through a bit because of Hasbro since War for Cybertron started out as a prequel to the original G1 cartoon show. Then Hasbro changed it so it became a prequel to Transformers Prime and continued that through Fall of Cybertron. Which first annoyed me since I actually like Transformers Prime but then after they decided to just up and cancel the show for really lame reasons I hope they go back and let it be a continuation of the G1 universe. The other reason being that how with out messing with the story of the Cybertron games are these two universes going to collide, though it looks like they are gonna be messing with the Cybertron games since what is shown of them they are still on Cybertron when in the last game they just left.

Now those worries aside I’m really looking forward to what will be in the game and well it will play, cuz as long as it’s just as fun as the last two I can forgive my issues with it’s story. Some things I hope they have in it would be a nice lengthy campaign where you get to play both Autobots and Decepticons with equal time with both the Cybertron versions and the film versions. I really hope they continue using the really fun horde like modes on the multiplayer side of things since that was always one of my favorite things to do, though I hope they give it like maybe 25-30 waves. The other thing I’m really hoping for right now is a all out brawl between all the Dinobots. And while this game does not have an actual release date yet I’d guess that it will be out around Transformers Age of Extinction being in theaters. If you have any thoughts on the new game or what you would like to see in it, feel free to discuss in the comment section below.